News

Alabama Medicaid will be part of new Children’s Cabinet initiative

Governor Robert
Bentley on April 12 announced a statewide effort to streamline services to
Alabama’s more than 1 million children. Alabama Medicaid, which serves more
than 650,000 Alabama children, will be part of this new initiative.

The Alabama Children’s Cabinet, created by Executive
Order 17, will serve as an advisory body in formulating policies, encouraging
innovation, and discussing issues critical to the needs of Alabama’s children. The
Cabinet will align systems of children’s programs and services, creating a
unified and cohesive delivery of services through a comprehensive approach.

“Alabama’s
children are our future, and we must ensure that their needs are being met just
as we do with adults,” Governor Robert Bentley said. “Whether it is education,
health care, nutrition programs, or other needs, children need someone to
advocate for what is best for them. We have put together a great group of
individuals, already working hard on children’s issues, that has the knowledge
and experience necessary to improve the lives of the children of Alabama. The
Children’s Cabinet will be an important group dedicated to Alabama’s children”

“Children are
our future and it is important that we do all we can to help them now so they
can grow into healthy and productive adults. I’m very excited about the
Governor’s formation of the Children’s Cabinet for I feel it will further our
efforts to improve the lives of children in Alabama,” said Commissioner Nancy
Buckner, Alabama Department of Human Resources.

The Children’s
Cabinet will also work to develop measures of accountability to improve
effectiveness in achieving positive outcomes for children and their families.
They will work to ensure coherence throughout a child’s development and will
create system-wide activities and functions such as data collection, quality
assurance and measures of outcomes. The ultimate goal of this group will be to
maximize efficiency in the use of resources, reducing duplication and providing
a good return on state tax dollars.

“I am pleased
to be involved in this special effort to develop a coordinated approach to
making thoughtful, responsible decisions for what is best to assure children
have the most effective and efficient delivery of the services and resources
provided for their education, health and well-being,” said Secretary Jeana
Ross, Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education.

The Cabinet
will be comprised of the department head or a representative from several
existing state agencies including: